A man has died after entering a closed and hazardous area at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park last week, according to the National Park Service.
The man, who officials identified as a 33-year-old Hawaii resident, had entered an area on the east side of Kīlauea caldera on Feb. 26. Kīlauea caldera has "hazardous terrain," which includes "unstable cliff edges and volcanic features," according to the park service.
The volcano did not erupt at the time of the incident, the park service said, but an alert warning of Kīlauea's "episodic" volcanic activity has been in effect since 2024.
A search and rescue operation was conducted overnight in the Kīlauea caldera and the next day the man was found and airlifted to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead, the park service said.
The man's identity is being withheld "pending privacy considerations," according to the park service.
“The incident remains under investigation,” the park service said.
The park service is reminding visitors to stay in open areas.
"Visitors are reminded to remain in designated open areas and comply with all closures," the service said.
